Multistage steam-condensing.



P. A. BANCEL. MULTISTAGE STEAM CONDENSING.

APPUCATIOH FILED SEPT. 12. 1913.

5 SHEETSSHEET Patented June 15, 1915.

- INVENTOR 96 7 1 ATTORNEY WITNESSES P. A. BANCEL.

MULTlSTAGE STEAM CONDENSING.

APPLlQATlON FILED SEPT. 12, 19|s.

l l 43, 349 Patented June 15, 1915.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2- 3 INVENTOR v I a 1 4 wemw Fiik P. A. BANCEL.

MULTISTAGE STEAM CONDENSING.

APPLICATIDN FILED SEPT- 12, I913.

Patented June 15, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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Patented J 11119 15, 1915 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FIG. 8

0 0 0 6 00 .Q o z I 0 0 l/r u l 000000 .IIIITFIIJ v INVENTQR WITNESSESf, 524' ATTORNEY P. A. BANCEL. MULTISTAGE STEAM CONDENSING.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-12 1913- Patented June 15, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5- INVENTOR I 3 A ATTORNEY WITNESSES g uurn' sra rns rrnnamen PAUL ,A. BA1\TGEL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MULTISTAGE STEAM-CONDENSING.

Application filed September 12, 1913.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, PAUL A. BANCEL, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing in the city, county, and State of New 3 York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Multistage Steam-Condensing, of which the following is a true and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a partthereof.

One main object of the present invention is to provide aii improvedmethod of, and apparatus for utilizing the energy of steam in performingmechanical work characterized by the relatively small bulk andconsequently low cost of construction of the apparatus required forutilizing the energy of a given amount of steam in a satisfactorilyefiicient manner. Another ,main objectof my invention is to provide animproved method of, and apparatus for condensing steam supplied to thecondensing apparatus at two or more pressures each of which areordinarily far below atmospheric pressures. While the method of, .andapparatus for condensing steam, ,which it is this object of my inventionto provide, are of especial utility in attaining the first mentionedobject of the invention, they.are also of general utility re-- gardlessof the mannerin Whichthe vsteam to be condensedhas previouslyzbeenutilized or acquires its. different pressures.

More specific objects ofimyinvention are to increase the capacity andeiiiciency of condensing apparatus, to reduce the required capacity andincrease the effectiveness of the air pumping tor other vacuum creatingand auxiliary condensing apparatus employed in conjunction with the maincondensing apparatus; to make the location of a portion of the maincondensing apparatus independent, 1n a measure, of the location of theturbineor otherdevice exhausting into 1t; and

to recover the water of condensation from the condensing apparatus at atemperature above that at which a portion of the water of condensationis formed. I p

' At the present time it is common practice to utilize the energyavailable in low pressure steam, such asthe exhaust steam from a highpressure turbine or reciprocating engine exhausting at a pressure at orsomewhat belowthe pressure of the atmosphere, by

passing the steam thus exhausted through a lompressure-turbineoradditional low pres- Specification of Letters Paterft.

Patented June 15, 1915.

Serial No. 789,422.

sure turbine wheels, exhausting the total volume of steam into a maincondensing apparatus in which a high vacuum is main tained by the use ofa suitable vacuum producing and auxiliary condensing apparatus forremoving the air from the main condensing apparatus, and condensing thesteam mixed with the air thus withdrawn from the main condensingapparatus. By the term air, as used in this connection, I mean toinclude. not only atmospheric air, but other gases and vapors enteringthe condensing apparatus and not condensable therein under normalconditions of opera tion.

My present invention is especially devised and adapted for use in, or inconnection with, this general mdde of utilizing the available energy inlow pressure steam, though some features of the invention are notrestricted to such use,

In the practical utilization of the energy contained in low pressuresteam in accordance with "the present invention, I divide the condensingspace of the main condensing apparatus into two separate and distinctportions, in one of which a higher vacuum is maintained than in theother, and I expand all or a major portion of the steam in the tuybineand utilize the kinetic energy thus made availablein imparting energy tothe turbine wheels. \In this expansion of the steam, however, oneportion of the steam is expanded to a lowep pressure in the turbine thanis anotherportion. These two portions of the steam are passed into thehigher and lower vacuum portions, respectively, of the main condenser.T0 withdraw the air from and thereby-maintain the desired vacuum in thedifierent portions oi the main condensing apparatus I employ a vacuumproducing and auxiliary condensing apparatus into which the air fromthese condensing spaces admixedwith more or less steam from one or bothof these spaces is discharged, and I compress the uncoiu ileused residuefrom the main condensing section in which the higher vacuum maintainedto a pressure at least as high asthat niaintaiiud in the lower vacuummain condensing space before delivering it to the vacuum producingandauxiliary condensing apparatus. 1

. apparatus proper.

den'sing spaces passes to the auxiliary apparatus through thecorresponding outlet of the low vacuum condensing space, or I mayprovide independent connections between each of the two main condensingspaces and the auxiliary apparatus. In the latter case I may compressthe uncondensed residue from both sections, or from'the high vacuumsection only of the main condensing apparatus before delivering thisresidue to vacuum creating and auxiliary condensing apparatus proper. Insome cases I utilize the jet action of'the portion of the steam passingfrom the turbine to the low vacumn main condensing section to recompressthe uncondensed residue from the high vacuum main condensing section andpass-it into the said low vacuum section. In other cases I utilize thejet action of steam withdrawn from the turbine at a pressure above thatmainained in either main condensing section or the jet action of steamfrom a separate source to recompress the uncondenscd residue from one orboth sections of themain condensing apparatus and pass it to the vacuumcreating and. auxiliary condensing The following explanation mayfacilitate an tmderstaruling of the character of the advantageousresults obtained by the use of my invention. The efliciency and outputof a steam turbine, operating at constant speed, and receiving steam ata givei'i initial pressure, depends primarily upon three factors,namelytho amount of steam passed through the turbine, the extent towhich the steam is expanded in passing through the turbine, and theresidual velocity or kinetic energy of the steam leaving the turbine.Vith a given discharge pressure, the residual velocity of the steam willincrease as the amount of steam passed through the turbine rises abovethe normal full load amount, and thus the efliciency of the turbine willdecrease as the overload increases. lVith a given amount of steampassing through the turbine, a decrease in the pressure to which thesteam is expanded in the turbine, will correspondingly increase thekinetic energy of the steam, but the resulting increase in volume of thesteam necessitates a higher residual velocity in the steam to enable itto i get through. the low pressure wheel or wheels of the turbine whenthe turbine is operating at the normal full load or is overloaded.lVhile lowering the exhaust pressure tends to directly increase theeflicicncy of the turbine, itdoes this at the expense of the ca pacit-y-of the turbine, and. whenthe turbine isjheav'ily loaded the increasedelliciency due 7 to the lower exhaust pressure is substantially thesteam.

offset by the increasedresidual velocity of lVhen, in accordance with mypresent invention, a port-ion only of the steam is passed through thefinal wheel or wheels of the turbine, it is apparent that the leavingvelocity of the steam thus receiving the greater expansion isappreciably less than would be the case it all of the steam-were passedthrough the linal wheel or wheels of the turbine. This portion of thesteam receiving the greater expansion in theturbine is thereforeutilized more eliiciently in the turbine than would be the case if allof the steam were passed through the final wheel or wheels of theturbine. Furthermore, the potential energy remaining in the steamwithdrawn from the turbine at the higher, pressure is not wasted, but isconverted into kinetic energy which may be effectively uti' lized increating the properdistribution of steam in, and circulationthroughthecon- (lensing apparatus. The necessity for'utilizingrelatively largeamounts of kinetic energy to properly move'the steam and air through oflarge condensers operating at high vacuum, has

not heretofore been clearly appreciated, at least practically, in thedesign of such condensers. The frictional resistance to this movement isconsiderable on account of the velocity with which the highly attenuatedsteam and air must sweep through the condensing space, and the tortuousand restricted paths through which-the steam and air must flow, and thecross and eddy currents within the condensing spaces set up by thechanging temperature and pressure conditions prevailing in differentportions thereof. The energy required for this pur pose per pound ofsteam, increases approximately with the square of the velocity withwhich steam moves through the-condenser, and hence increasesapproximately as the square of the pressure'in the condenser decreases.The efliciency of the condenser JlZSQll, as well as its capacity, isthus directly decreased by an increase in the vacu- 110 um maintained inthe condenser. Furthermore, when. the vacuum inthe condenser isdecreased, the corresponding increase in the temperature prevailing inthe condenser permits the .use of. hotter cooling water, or of lesscooling water of the same temperature than is required when the highervacuum is maintained. The steam operating at the higher pressure istherefore condensed more efliciently andthe total bulk of the maincondensing apparatus is less than if all of the steam were condensed atthe lower pressure. The division of the condenser into separateportions, receiving steam in parallel so to speak, shortens the pathstraveled by the steam and consequently reduces; the kinetic energyrequired to .move th=- steam along these paths. While the sillciency ofa steam jet as an air moving deyie; is theoretically low, the practicalefiiciericy of the steam Jets which I employ towith fltfu the condenser,especially in the casedraw air from one or both of the main condensersections is good, for the jets may vacuum section of the main condensingapparatus and consequently is reduced in volume before delivery tovacuum producing and auxiliary condensing apparatus proper makes itpossible to reduce the bulk and cost of this final portion of the plant,the efiicienc of which is also increased by increasing t e pressure ofthe attenuated fluid handied by it. When the main condensing apparatus'is divided into sections they may well be so arranged that thewater of condensation forming in the high vacuum section will drain intothe condensing space of "the low vacuum section and be heated uptherein, so that the water of condensation from both sections isdelivered at the temperature prevailing in the low vacuum section. Thisadds substantially to the elliciency of the plant as a whole, when, asis usually the case, the water of condensation is returned to theboilers. Inasmuch as the high vacuum section of the turbine as Well asof the condenser may drain into the low vacuum section, the high vacuumsection of the condenser may be located above the level 'of theturbinewhen this is desirable as is frequently the case. The various featuresof novelty which characterizemy invention are pointed'out withparticularity in the claims annexed to and forming ,a part of thisspecification.

- For a better understanding of the invention, however, and'of theadvantages possessed by I "it, reference should be had to theaccompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which I haveillustrated and described various modes of operation and forms ofapparatus which may be employed in carrymg out my invention.

Of the drawings: Figure l is a diagramf matic elevation, partly insection, of one form of apparatus which I may employ;

Fig. 2 is a plan, partly in section, on the line'22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 8 isan elevation, .,.partlyinsection, of a modified form of apparatus; Fig.4 is an elevation'taken at 1 right angles toCFig. 3; Figs. 5 to 9 areeach elevations, partly in section, of forms of condensing apparatus,diifering in one respect or another from each otherjand Fig. 10 is asection on the line 10'10' hf Fig.9. In the drawings, and referringfirst to the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, A rep- 7 (i resents a.low pressure steam turbine, con-.

ventionally illustrated as divided into four chambers, A, A, A and A bythe turbine wheels B, B and B and cooperating annular diaphragm portionsof the turbine casing. Progressively increasing pressures are maintainedin these chambers, for instance the pressures in the chambers A, A A andA may correspond respectively to inchcs'of vacuum as follows: 289;, 28,24 and 20, the steam being expanded and imparting energy to thecorresponding turbine wheel as it passes from each chamber of higherpressure into the adjacent chamber of low pressure. From the chamber Aan outlet passage A leads to the steam inlet of a surface condenser C,and a steam outlet passage A leads from the chamber A. to the steaminlet of a surface condenser D. The condenser C is formed with coolingwater inlet and outlet chambers C and C at its ends, and similarly thecondenser D is pro- 'vided with cooling water inlet and outlet chambersD and 1) Preferably theoutlet chamber C ofgthe condenser C is connectedto the inlet chamber D of the condenser D, so that the cold water firstpasses through the condenser C and then through the condenser D, asindicated by the arrows in Fig. 2. The air outlet C from the condensingspace of the condenser C is connected to the condensing space of thecondenser D adjacent to the steam inlet of the latter by a plurality ofnozzles E. .Each nozzle E also receives steam from the chamber A of theturbine through a corresponding alined nozzle F, the steam chest 7 towhich nozzles F are connected and the pipe A; The nozzles F areexpansion nozzles and the nozzles E are compression nozzles and eachpair of nozzlesE and F are so relatively arranged and proportioned thatthe steam issuing from each nozzle-F will be expanded to a pressure ator slightly below the vacuum of say 287} inches, which it is desired tonaintain in the condenser C, while the steam and air drawn out of theair outlet C of the condenser (l, by the jet action of the steam issuingfrom the nozzle F, will be compressed as it passes through the nozzle E,to the pressure of say 28 inches of vacuum, which it is desiredtomaintain in the condenser D. The air outlet D from the condenser D isconnected to the vacuum producing and auxiliary condensing apparatuswhich in Flg. 1 is conventionally illustrated as consisting of a wet airpump Gr. The hot wells or water of condensation outlets 0* and D of thecondensers C' and D are connected through the seal H, and the pipe Irunning from the-hot well C is connected to a suitable pump (not shown)for removing the water ofcondensation formed in the condensers C and D.Though not strictly essential, battles or division plates-c and dare-preferably arranged, as shown, within the condensers C and D in suchmanner as to insure a direct flow of steam from the steam inlet to theair outlet of each condenser, and the avoidance of pockets in thecondenser in which the air, or an air and steam mixture rich in air, cancollect' and become stagnant.

Only a small portion of the total amount of steam passing through theturbine is'required to create the jet action necessary for withdrawingthe air from he high vacuum condenser C and forcing it into the lowervacuumcondenser I); With the pressures prevailing in the diil'erentstages of the turbine suggested above, the amount of steam required forthis purpose would be appreciably less than live per cent. of the totalamount of steam passing through the turbine. The amount of steamrequired to produce the jet action necessary to main" tain the desireddiii'erential in pressure of the two stageS VOiiihe main condensingapparatus will obviously"ddcrease with the pressure of the steam used asthe motive fluid in the jets. If this steam were taken at boilerpressure less than one per cent. of the total volume of steam would besuflioient to maintain a difference in pressure in the two stages'of thecondensing apparatus corresponding to a half-inch of vacuum.Advantageously the turbine and condensing apparatus may be soproportioned that approximately one-half" of the steam entering thechamber A" will pass into the chamber A.

By dividing the steam in this manner, it is possible to operat'e' with aresidual velocity oi the steam entering the chamber A somewhat less thanwould exist if all of the steam entering the chamber A were forcedthrough a wheel double the diameter of the wheel 1% and having similarlyspaced and proportioned buckets or vanes.

The apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4c dill'ers from that shown in 1*igs. 1. and 2 in that all of the steam passed into the lower vacuumcondenser DA directly from the turbine, is withdrawn from the chamber Aof the turbine through valved conduits A ii h'ielr-t iinatrin expandingnozzles F, which create the jets for withdrawing the air from the airoutlets (1 of the condenser CA. This air and steam issuing from thenozzles F is compressed'up to the pressure which it is desired tomaintain.in the condenser DA in passing into the latter through thecompression nozzles E. In. this form of apparatus the division plates 0converge downwardly from thesteam inlet of the condcnser'OA toward theair outlet C and the air outlet D toward which the division plates clconvcrgeleads from the upper side of the condenser DA.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 5 the exhaust outlet A from the chamber Aof .the turbine leads directly downward to the top of a condenser DB,while the exhaust steam outlet A. from the low pressure chamber A of theturbine leads away from the upper side of theturbine to the top of acondenserCB. The air outlets C and D from the condensers CB and DBrespectively are connected to the inlet chambers K and K respectively ofa'compound jet ejector device In this ejector device K represents theexpanding. supply nozzle, This nozzle opens into the chamber K in linewith the nozzle K which connects the chambers K and K K represents theoutlet nozzle leading away from the chamber K and discharging through asuitable pipe connection into the auxiliary condensing and vacuumproducing apparatus which as conventionally shown is a wet air pump G.

The nozzleli is supplied with steam from the stage A of the turbinethrough the valved connection K or from some other source through thevalved connection K, and is adapted to expand the steam'passing throughitdown to a pressure not greater than and preferably somewhat below thatwhich it is desired to maintain in the low acuuni condensing chamber GB.The nozzle K compresses the discharge from the nozzle K and the fluiddrawn by this jet through the chamber K from the air outlet 0 of thehigh vacuum condenser CB to a.

pressure which does not exceed and ispreferably lower than the pressurewhich it is desired to maintain in the condenser DB. The jet dischar edby the nozzle K and the fluid admixed t erewith which is drawn by thejet from the air outlet D of the condenser DB is received by the nozzleK which is adapted to compress the fluid received by it and hencedeliver the latterto the wet air pump G at a pressure above thatmaintained in the condenser DB.

The water of condensation forming in the condenser GB is conveyedthrough the pipe HA to the condenser DB being discharged into anoverflowing trough D secured to the shell of the condenser at asubstantial distance above the bottom of the condenser. As shown, thepipe HA is formed with a loop to provide a water sealbetween the twocondensers. vWhere, as shown, the exhaust steam outlet from the'chamberA of the turbine leads fro'mthe upper side ofthe chamber, it isnecessarv to provide'means for drainingv water of condensation from thischamber of the turbine. This is accomlower vacuum section of thecondehserposthroughthe pipe MN or maybe supplied sesses two distinct andimportant advantages. In the first place it permits the high vacuumcondensing section to be located at any convenient level above the lowvacuum section and above the turbinewhen this is desirable as isfrequently the case.v In the second place it permits all of the water ofcondensation formed in both condensing sections to be delivered at thetemperature prevailing in the low vacuum section, and the heating up ofthe water of condensation formed in the high vacuum condenser is broughtabout with a minimum of apparatus and in a highly eilicient manner. Theheating of this water by the steam passing into the low vacuumcondensing section adds substantially to the efiiciency of the apparatusas a whole, for the heat thus recovered, and which would otherwise bewasted, permits auxiliary boiler feed water heating apparatus to bewholly or largely dispensed with. lVith the difierence between thepressures ordinarily maintained in the condensers CB and DB the highvacuum condenser CB needs to have its water of condensation outletlocated but a few inches or so above the level at which the pipe HAdischarges into the condenser DB in order to insure a gravity flow ofwater of condensation'trom the condenser CB into the condenser DB. Theeconomy effected in heating the condensate formed in the high vacuumsection by passingit into the condensing space of the low vacuum sectionof the condenser is such, however. that it would pay in many cases topump the condensate from the high vacuum section into the low vacuumsection, if the conditions were such as to require this.

The modified form of apparatus shown in Fig. 6 does not differ from thatshown in Fig. 5 except in the manner of disposing of the air passing outof the air outlets C and D of the condenser sections CB and DB. As shownin Fig. 6. the outlets C and D are connected by pipes M and MA respectirely to an auxiliary condenser 0. Insertedin the pipe M is a nozzle N,the pipe and nozzle being shaped to form a jet ejector which willwithdraw air from thecondenser ("l3 and deliver the mixture of this airwith the steam passing through the nozzle N to the auxiliary condenser Oat a pressure appreciably above that maintained in the high vacuumcondenser CB. Similarly the pipe MA is provided Witlf an ejector nozzleNA and the pipe and nozizle form a means for withdrawing air from thelow vacuum condenser DB and compressing the mixtureof this air with thesteam passing through the nozzle NA up to the same or approximately thesame pressure at which the steam and air mixture passing through thepipe M is delivered tothe auxiliary condenser O The nozzles N and NA maybe supplied with steam from the stage A of the turbine A with steam froman independent source through the pipe MN. 1

. In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the high and low vacuumcondensing'spaces or chambers C and C respectively of the main condenserare formed in the shell of a single condenser structure CD, the twocondensingspaces being separated by a partition C slightly inclined tothe horizontal so that the water of condensation fallv ing thereon willrun naturally to the side of the condenser shell from which the drainpipe HC leads to the overflow trough A located in the lower condensingspace C The high vacuum stage of the turbine A has its exhaust steamoutlet A connected to the upper main condensing space C", while thelower. main condensing spaceC is connected to the exhaust steam outlet Afrom the intermediate stage of the turbine. The high vacuum stage of theturbine drains through a seal pipe HD into the exhaust steam pipe A Theair outlet C from the high vacuum chamber C ,of the condenser CD opensto the inlet chamber KA of a compound jet ejector KA. The steam supplynozzle KA of this device is supplied with steam through the pipe KA froma. 9 high pressure stage of the turbine, or from an independent sourcethrough pipe KA and discharges into the chamber KA' in line with thecompressing nozzle KA. The latter opens at its inner end into thecondensing chamber C of the main condenser and in :line with and inclose proximity with the compressing'nozzle KA which connects, thecondensing space C to an air cooling space C formed within thecondensing shell and separated from the space C by a partition C. Xrepresents the outlet from the space 0" through which the uncondensedfluid may be finally withdrawn from the condenser by asuitable wet air110 pump or other vacuum producing device, which may also serve towithdraw a any condensate forming in the space C The arrangement of thesteam inlet at the bottom of the low vacuum condenser space C 115 asshown in Fig.7, possesses the advantage of insuring that the water ofcondensation passing through and formed in the space C will be heated uptopractically the temperature of. the steam passing into the space C. 4

a The ap iaratus shown in Fig. 8 difi'ers from tha shown in Figs. 5 and6 only in the means employed for withdrawing air from the high and lowvacuum condensers Cl and DB respectively, and in the auxiliarycondensing and vacuum-producing apparatus. Th auxiliary condensing andvacuum produci g apparatus shown in Fig. 9 comprises a casing Q formedwith a steam me I ' air outlet U.

inlet chamber Q which may receive steam through the pipe Q" from a highpressure stage otthe turbine or ma be supplied with steamthrough thepipe Q .flOIn an independent source. The steam supplied to the chamber'Q passes through expanding uozzles Q and alined compressing nozzles Q"into a turhiue wheel chamber Q". and the nozzles Q and Q have theiradjacent ut slightly separated ends open to a y-hamlier Q formed in thecasing. and this chamher is connected to and receives the air issuing"from the condenser 3 through the The steam and air mixture passingthrough the nozzles Q" and slightly compressed therein is dischargedagainst a turbine \\lieel ll and rotates the latter. The

turbine wheel chamher Q? is connected to' the air outlet 1 ot thecondenser DB and receives the uneondenscil lluid From the lat ter. 'lhelluid passing through the turbine wheel It leaves the latter withsullicientvelocity to carry the mixture of air and steam out of thechamber Q through the compressing nozzles Q in which this mixture isfurther con'ipressed and by whichthemix ture deli"ered to auxiliarycondensing and vacuum producing apparatus. This apparatus is a rotaryJet condenser and air com- PIOSSOJ driven hy the turbine wheel R. Therotary impeller S oi the rotary c ndenser and air compressor works inthe chamber Hurling water is supplied to the impeller through the supplypipe and air and water is discharged by the imp ller into the diti'usionchamber 8 In the condensing apparatus shown in I Figs. 9 and 10, thecondenser structure (,E

proper is essentially the same as the condenser CD shown in Fig. 7. Inthe apparatus shown in Figs. 9 and 10, however, the space-C which isgenerally like the space C ofthe' condenser (1D, is arranged to drainwater ofcondensation forming therein into thehot-wcll'D o'fthe lowvacuum main condensing space C" proper through the sealed drain pipesHE, and an air compressing turbine is employed for withdrawing theuncondensed residue from the space through the pipe X. The aircompressiim turbine proper comprises a steam chest Q Y to which steam issupplied through the pipe Q from a source of live steam or from a highpressure stage oi the turbine exhaust.- ing into the condensing a'iparalus. The

-steam chest Q opens into the wheel cham- (lensing apparatus whichpasses through the pipe D from the hot well D to the Water inlet '1" ofa multistage pump T of common form, which discharges to the water inletof the ejector U. The impeller T of the pump 'l is driven by the wheelRA. The. latter also serves to drive the impeller of the pump V employedfor circulating the cooling water through the tubes traversing the .con-

(lensing spaces C C 'and the air cooling and auxiliary condensing spaceQiafiis shown. the discharge pipe ot-the pump V leads to the water spaceC to which the upper tuhes of the condenser are connected at one end.'These tubes 'areconnected at their other ends to the water space (1. to

which also connected the corresponding ends of the remaining tubes. Thelatter open at their opposite ends to the water space (T from which thedischarge pipe C runs to the cooling tower or other place or device Forutilizing or disposing of the heated cooling water. To avoid theformation oi air pockets within the pump T handling the condensate, thepipe D or the casing oi the pump is connected. by a vent pipe T to thehigh vacuum main coridensing space C In the operation of the apparatusshown in Figs. 9 and 10. the desired high :iCllllHlS of say twenty-eightand one-halt inches and twentv-seven inches of mercury are maintained inthe main condensing spaces and (7". respectively. In the air cooling andauxiliary condensing space C a vacuum is maintained slightly lower thanthat in thespaco (77. say a vacuum of between twenty-six andtwenty-seven inches. At the. gaseous inlet to the ejector U a substanmaylower vacuum. of say fifteen or twenty inches of mercury is maintained.The ejector U will he arranged to discharge at atmospheric pressure. liv arranging and operating the apparatus shownv in Figs. 9 and ill in themanner deseribcd. l am enabled to minimize the amount of coolingwaterrequired and to deliver the condensate at axrelatively high temperature.The etl'ective use of the condensate as the motive fluid 1" the airwithdrawn from the various condensing spaces is made possiblenotwithstandime the heated-condition of this water and its comparativelysmall amount. by, the tact that the vacuunrof say fifteen or twenty inthe water ejector U for finally disposing v anew; v

inches maintained by the water ejector is relatively low. It will beobserved that I make no attempt to condense the steam supplied to theprimary ejectors KA by means of the condensate, but notwithstanding thisfact I am enabled to heat the condensate to a comparatively hightemperature. \Vhile the steam supplied to the primary ejectors must becondensed by the cooling water passing through the tubes traversing thespace (3 and the heat thus abstracted by the cooling water is in a sensewasted, yet the amount of heat thus wasted is comparatively small andthe increase in the amount of heat which must be abstracted by thecooling water in this portion of the condensing apparatus is compensatedfor by a dc crease in the amount of heat which must be imparted to thecooling water in other portions of the apparatus where it is moreadvantageous to reduce the amount of heat to be abstracted by thecooling water.

No claim is made herein to the air compressing turbines shown in Figs.8, 9 and 10, except as these are utilized in carrying out the methods,or in the general combinations claimed herein, since these turbinesstanding by themselves are not my sole invention, but were inventedjointly by George H. Gibson andmyself, and are claimed in our jointapplication Serial No. 733,941, filed November 29th, 1912,

The apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4 herein is different in its generalarrangement and mode of operation from that shown in the remainingfigures in that in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4: the uncondensedfluid from the main high vacuum condensing space is forced through themain'lower vacuum condensingspace, a portion of the energy of the steamcondensed being employed to effect this, while in the apparatus shown inthe remaining figures'ach of the two main condensing spacesindependently connected to the auxiliary condensing and vacuum producingapparatus, and claims Specific to the apparatus shown in Figs. 1

to 4 inclusive and to the methods carried out by the aid of this paratusare made in L my prior application r erial No. 7 3%,050, filed November29, 1912, wherein the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 4 as well as otherforms of apparatus similar thereto in general arrangement and mode ofuse are disclosed. The present application while filed at a later datethan said application Serial No. 734,050, is intended nevertheless to begeneric to the latter in so far as they disclose in common a pluralityof main con densers operating at difl'crent vacuums, and receiving steamfrom the different stages of a multistage turbine or otherwise, anddelivering their uncondenscd residue fluids into a common auxiliarycondensing and vacuum producing apparatus.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes I haveillustrated and described the best forms of my invention now known tome, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may bemade in the form of apparatus disclosed herein without departing fromthe spirit of my in-- vention, and that under some conditions certainfeatures of my invention may be used without a corresponding use ofother fea- 7 tures. c

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. The method of utilizing and condensing low pressure steam whichconsists in ab stracting and utilizing for power purposes unequalproportions of the energy Ln diii'ercnt fractional parts of the steam,passing parts of the steam retaining successively 86 larger proportionsof energy into condensing spaces in which successively lower vacuums aremaintained and passing the uncondensed fluid residue from saidcondensing spaces into a common auxiliary condensing and .90 vacuumproducing apparatus, after first compressing the residue from the highvacuum condensing space or spaces to a pressure equal to or above thatmaintained in a condensing space operating at a lower vacuum. 95.

2. The method of utilizing and 0011116118. ing low pressure steam whichconsists in libstracting and utilizing for power pu unequal proportionsof the energy in dlfi'erent fractional parts of the steam, passing 10Gparts of said steam retaining successively larger proportions of energyinto condense ing spaces in which successively lower vacuums aremaintained, and separately passing the unconde sed fluid residue fromsaidcondensing spaces into ecommon auxiliary condensing and vacuumproducing apparatus, after first compressingthe residue from the highvacuum condensing space or spaces to a pressure equal to or above thatmain- 11 t)" tained in a condensing space operating at alower vacuum.

3. The method of condensing steam supplied from two sources at diderentpressures each of which is below that of the at mosphere which consistsin providing a separate main condensing space for the steam from eachsource, maintaining corriespond ingly different vacuums in the dilferentcondensing spaces, passing the uncondensed residue fluid from each ofsaid condensing spaces mid auxiliary condensing and vapuum proddcingapparatus, and compressing, the non-condensable fluid issuing from the.high vacuum condensing space to a pressure 12-5 equal to'or above thepressurein the lower vacuum condensing space before delivering it tosaid auxiliary apparatus.-

4. The method of condensing steam: supplied from two sources atdifi'erentpress'ilres each of which is below that of the atmospherewhich consists in providing a separate main condensing space for thesteam from each source, maintaining correspondingly difi'erent vacuumsin the different condensing spaces, passingthe uncondensed residue fluidfrom each of said condensing spaces into auxiliary condensing and vacuumproducing apparatus, compressing the non-condensable fluid issuing fromthe high vacuum condensing space to a pressure equal to or above thepressure in the lower vacuum condensing space before delivering it tosaid auxiliary apparatus, and passing the water of condensation forming.in the high vacuum condensing space into the low vacuum condensingspace.

5. The method of condensing steam supplied from two sources at diiferentpressures each of which is below that of-the atmosphere which consistsin providing a separate main condensing space for the steam from eachsource, maintaining correspondingly different vacuums in the diflerentspaces, separately passing the uncondensed residue fluid from each ofsaid condensing spacesinto aux iliary condensing and vacuum'producingapparatus, and compressing the non-condensable fluid issuing from thehigh vacuum condensing space or spaces to a pressure equal to or abovethe pressure in the lower vacuum condensing space before delivering itto said auxiliary apparatus.

6. In combination, a turbine comprising a higher pressure stage with anexhaust steam outlet therefrom and a low pressure stage receiving aportion of the steam passing through said higher pressure stage andhaving a separate exhaust steam outlet, a multistage condensercomprising two main condensing sections operating at different vacuumsand connected one to one'and the other to the second of said outlets, acommon vacuum producing and auxiliary condensing apparatus receiving theu condensed residue from both of said condensing sections and means forcompressing the residue from the high vacuum section to a pressure notless than that maintained in the low vacuum section before delivery tosaid apparatus.

7. In combination, a turbine comprising a higher pressure stage with anexhaust steam outlet therefrom and. a low pressure stage receiving aportion of the steam passing through said higher pressure stage andhaving a separate exhaust steam outlet, a multistage condensercomprising two main condensing sections operating at different vacuumsand connected one to one and'the other to the second ofsaid outlets, acommon vacuum producing and auxiliary condensing apparatus separatelyconnected to and 'receiving the uncondcpsed residue from both of saidcondensing sections and means forcompressing the residue from the highvacuum section to apressure not less than that maintained in the lowvacuum section before delivery to saidapparatus.

'8. In combinatioma turbine comprising a higher pressure stage with anexhaust steam outlet therefrom and a low pressure stage receiving aportion of the steam passing through s. id higher pressure stage andhaving a separate exhaust steam outlet, a multistage condensercomprising two main condensing sections operating at diiferent vacuumsand connected one to one and the other 'to the second of said outlets,means for removing the uncondenscd residue from said in combination twomain condensing sections operating at the different pressures and acommon vacuum creating and' auxiliary condensing apparatus receiving theuncondensed residue from saidsections and means for compressing theuncondensed residue from the condensing section operating at the lowerpressure to a pressure not less than that maintained in the othercondensing sectionbefore delivery to said apparatus.

10. Apparatus for condensing steam supplied at two different pressurescomprising in combination two main condensing sections operating at thedifferent pressures and a common vacuum creating and aux iliarycondensing apparatus separately connected to and receiving theuncondcnsed residue from said sections'and means for comprcssing'thcuncoudensed residue from the condensing section operating at the lowerpressure to a pressure not less than that maintained in the othercondensing section before delivery to said apparatus.

11. Apparatus for condensing steam supplied at two different pressurescomprising in combination, two main condensing sections operating at thediiferent pressures, means for withdrawing the uncondensed residue fromsaid sections and means for passing the water of condensation formed inthe section operating at the lower pressure into the condensing space ofthe section operating at the higher pressure.

12 Apparatus for condensi g steam supplied at two different pressures,comprising a condensing section operating at the higher conveying waterof condensation forming in the section operating at the lower pressure acondensing section operating at the higher of said pressures, acondensing section operating at the lower of said pressures and locatedat a higher level than the first mentioned section, and a drainconnection for conveying water of condensation forming in the sectionoperating at the lower pressure into the condensing space of the othersection, said connection being shaped to provide a water-seal suiiicientto prevent the fiow of steam ,or air through said connection.

14. Apparatus for condensing steam supplied at two different pressurescomprising two condensing sections operating at the two pressures, meansfor passing cooling water in series first through the condensing sectionoperating at the lower pressure and ,ilren through the section operatingat the higher pressure andmeans for passing the condensate forming inthe section operating at the lower pressure into the condensing space ofthe section operating at the higher pressure.

15. Apparatus for condensing steam supplied at two difi'erent pressures,comprising a condensing section operating at the higher of saidpressures, a condensing section oper- I ating at the lower of saidpressures, a water ejector, means for passing the condensate formlng insaid mam condensing section through said ejector, means for passing theuncondensed residue from both of said main condensing sections to saidwater ejector after compressing said residue to a pressure below that atWhich said ejector delivers but appreciably above that maintained in themain condensing space operating at the higher pressure.

16. Apparatus for condensing steam sup plied at two different pressurescomprising in combination two main condensing sections operated at thedifferent pressures, an air cooling and auxiliary condensing section,means for delivering the uncondensed residue from both of said mainsections to said 5 air cooling and auxiliary condensing section, an aircompressing turbine, means for supplying the latter with steam foroperating the turbine and for drawing through the latter and raising thepressure of the uncondensed residue from said auxiliary section, a watere ector receiving the gaseous exhaust from said air compressing turbinand a condensate pump for delivering the condensate from said mainsections .to said water ejector.

17. Apparatus for condensing steam supplied at two'difi'erent pressurescomprising in combination two main condensing sections operated at thedifferent pressures, an air cooling and auxiliary condensing section,means for delivering the uncondensed residue from both of said mainsections to said air cooling and auxiliary condensing section, an aircompressing turbine, means for supplying the latter with steam foroperating the turbine and for drawing through the latter and raising thepressure of the uncondensed residue from said auxiliary section, a waterejector receiving the gaseous exhaust from said air compressing turbine,and a condensate pump for delivering the condensate from said mainsections to said water ejector connected to and driven by said aircompressing turbine.

18. Apparatus for condensing steam supplied at two diiferent pressurescomprising in combination two main condensing sections operated at thedifi'erent pressures, an air cooling and auxiliary condensing section,

means for delivering the uncondensed residue from both of said mainsections to said air cooling and auxiliary condensing section, an aircompressing turbine, means for supplying the latter with steam foroperat ing the turbine and for drawing through the latter and raisingthe pressure of the uncondensed residue from said auxiliary section, awater ejector receiving the gaseous exhaust from said air compressingturbine, and a condensate pump for delivering the condensate from saidmain sections to said water ejector and a cooling water circulatingpump, both of said pumps being conr nected to and driven by said aircompressing turbine. 19. Apparatus for condensing steam supplied at twodifierent pressures, comprising in combination, two main condensingsections operating at the different pressures and means for utilizingheat abstracted from the steam entering the condensing section operatingat the higher pressure to reheat water of condensation formed in thesection operating at the lower pressure.

PAUL A. BANCEL.

Witnesses HENRI R. Ross, ARTHUR J. SIGETI

